The 30 Most Spectacular Royal Weddings From Around the World

In May 2018, Meghan Markle will officially join the British royal family when she weds Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel. Here, in no particular order, the 30 most spectacular, memorable, and glamorous royal weddings from around the world.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William (UK, 2011)

After a six-month engagement, Kate and William were married at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011 in front of some 1,900 guests, while millions watched on TV. Royals aside, Kate and William’s guest list included David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, and Richard Branson. For her big day, Kate wore a satin and lace gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, a Cartier scroll tiara on loan from Queen Elizabeth II, and diamond earrings gifted by Kate’s parents. For their honeymoon, Kate and Will spent 10 days on a a private island in the Seychelles.

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Prince Carl and Sofia Hellqvist (Sweden, 2015)

Carl and Sofia’s fairytale wedding in Stockholm, held on June 13, 2015, had everything: an emerald and diamond tiara, a 21-shot salute, a Swedish rendition of Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” in-person performances by Avicii and Icona Pop, and a wedding cake filled with Pop Rocks. In a speech given at the ceremony, Carl declared that he was “the happiest man in the world." The couple have since welcomed two sons: Prince Alexander, born April 2016, and Prince Gabriel, born August 2017.

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The King of Bhutan and Jetsun Pema (Bhutan, 2011)

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the “Dragon King” of Bhutan, wed his 21-year-old bride on Oct. 13, 2011 in a small, private ceremony in the middle of a fortress in Punakha, the former capital. Following the nuptials, the then 31-year-old Dragon King told reporters, “I have been waiting for quite some time to get married. But it doesn’t matter when you get married as long as it is to the right person. I am certain I am married to the right person.” To celebrate the couple, Bhutan declared Oct. 13-15 a national holiday that year.

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Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI (Spain, 2004)

Former journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano became a princess (officially, Princess of Asturias) when she tied the knot with then-Prince Felipe on May 22, 2004. Between the bride’s 15-ft. train (designed by Manuel Pertegaz) and the overall gorgeousness of the Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena in Madrid, this royal wedding pulled out all the stops. In 2014, Letizia became Queen when her husband took over throne duties from King Juan Carlos, who abdicated the throne after nearly 40 years of ruling.

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King Abdullah II and Queen Rania (Jordan, 1993)

Not long after meeting at a dinner party thrown by Abdullah’s sister, the future King and Queen of Jordan tied the knot on June 13, 1993 at the Zahran Palace in Amman. Rania had two wedding gowns made for her by British designer Bruce Oldfield: one for the traditional Muslim ceremony (complete with a train) and one for the reception. In 2017, in honor of the couple’s 24th wedding anniversary, Rania shared this sweet message on Instagram, along with a photo of the two of them looking more in love than ever: “After 24 years, I still feel like the luckiest woman in the world!”

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Prince Pierre and Beatrice Borromeo (Monaco/Italy, 2015)

Grace Kelly’s grandson, Pierre Ranier Stefano Casiraghi, and Beatrice Borromeo, who hails from Italy’s oldest aristocratic family, had two weddings in 2015: a civil ceremony on July 25 in the Prince’s Palace of Monaco and Aug. 1 on one of the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore, Italy. (Yes, the islands are owned by the bride's family.) Beatrice masterfully pulled off three outfit changes (including two designs by Valentino) at the first ceremony and wore two gowns by Armani in Italy. Guests of wedding number two included everyone from Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway to (Queen) Lana Del Rey.

Yaduveer, the 27th maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore, one of the richest in India, married Trishika, his childhood friend and member of the Dungapur royal family, in a “typical south Indian Mysorean wedding” on June 27, 2016. The couple had a traditional wedding ceremony in front of 1,000 guests inside Mysore’s City Palace, while an additional 2,500 arrived for the reception. In December 2017, the couple welcomed their first child – a baby boy – ending a 400-year-old curse that the Wadiyar family would never have a natural heir.

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Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones (UK, 1960)

Though their marriage would end in divorce, Princess Margaret and photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones’s wedding remains iconic to this day. The ceremony, which took place on May 6, 1960 at Westminster Abbey, made history as the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television. And let’s not forget about Margaret’s silk organza dress: made from some 30 meters of fabric, couturier Norman Hartnell’s masterpiece was stunning, simple, and 100 percent fit for a princess.

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Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda (2005)

Princess Sayako, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, wed urban designer and family friend (and commoner) Yoshiki Kuroda on Nov. 15, 2005. Their “low-key” wedding, which took place at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, marked the end of Sayako’s royal status as mandated by Imperial law. Still, the bride looked as elegant as ever in a long-sleeved white dress and pearls. Ahead of her wedding, Sayako reportedly took driving lessons and practiced buying groceries at supermarkets. Speaking to reporters, the former “Princess Nori” said she was “happy” that her father saw her “new life as a continuation, not as a complete break.” In 2017, Sayako took over for her aunt, Atsuko Ikeda, as the supreme priestess of Ise Grande Shrine.

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Princess Charlene and Prince Albert (Monaco, 2011)

Charlene and Albert’s two-day extravaganza took place inside the Prince’s Palace of Monaco in July 2011, a decade after the couple first met at a swimming competition. The bride, who wore Giorgio Armani, and groom tied the knot in front of an impressive guest list that included everyone from the then-President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy to Naomi Campbell. (The real Giorgio Armani was also in attendance.) The Eagles were also part of the celebrations, kicking things off with a concert attended by 15,000 locals and the royal couple.

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Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby (Norway, 2001)

Former waitress Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby wed Crown Prince Haakon, the first-in-line to the royal throne, on Aug. 25, 2001 in what The New York Times described as “a ceremony of pomp and splendor unusual for this egalitarian Nordic kingdom.” The bride wore a white silk crepe wedding gown, complete with a 20-foot-long veil, while the groom dressed in army uniform with a sash and medals. Despite negative press coverage of Mette-Marit’s history of admitted partying and the fact that she had a 4-year-old son from a previous relationship, the groom's parents, King Harald V and Queen Sonja (formerly a common), were generally supportive of the union.

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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (UK, 1947)

Before ascending to the British royal throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth was once Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, wife of Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, her second cousin once removed. Their grand wedding at Westminster Abbey took place on Nov. 20, 1947 and included eight bridesmaids, a radio broadcast to some 200 million listeners around the world, and perfectly executed carriage processions. Norman Hartnell, who would become Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth 10 years later, designed the bride’s wedding dress, which was embroided with 10,000 seed pearls and white beads. Elizabeth and Philip celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2017.

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Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander (Netherlands, 2002)

What could be more fairytale-like than a Valentino ivory mikado silk gown, a long train (16.4 feet, to be exact), a tiara, and a horse drawn carriage? On Feb. 2, 2002, Maxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, a former banker and English teacher, wed the then-Prince Willem-Alexander at a 15th century church in Amsterdam, just a hop and a skip away from the Royal Palace. In 2013, the couple officially became the King and Queen of the Netherlands following the abdication of Willem-Alexander’s mother, Beatrix.

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Lady Charlotte Wellesley and Alejandro Santo Domingo (Spain, 2016)

Lady Charlotte, daughter of the Duke of Wellington and Princess Antonia of Prussia (which means yes, she is related to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip), wed American-Colombian billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo in Illora, Spain on May 28, 2016. If the bride’s gorgeous custom made Emilia Wickstead gown wasn’t a highlight for you, perhaps it was the reception venue, a 2,400-acre estate owned by the Duke of Wellington.

Wedding celebrations for the Sultan of Brunei’s daughter, Princess Hafizah, and her groom lasted for more than one week and included nightly vigils, a civil ceremony, a reception for some 3,000 guests, a 17-gun salute, official royal guards, ceremonial spears and shields, and of course, elaborate jewelry. Reminder: the Sultan of Brunei is one of the richest royals in the world (with an estimated net worth of $20 billion), so this all makes sense.

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Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, and Mary Donaldson (Denmark, 2004)

Four years after meeting at a pub during the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, and Australian-born Mary Donaldson exchanged vows at the Copenhagen Cathedral on May 14, 2004. The bride, who officially became HRH Crown Princess of Denmark on her wedding day, wore a gown by Danish designer Uffe Frank and a veil (her “something old,” if you will) previously used by Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden and Ingrid, Queen of Denmark.

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Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III (Monaco, 1956)

“The Wedding of the Century” between American actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier II of Monaco took place at the Palace of Monaco on April 19, 1956. The guest list of 700 included Cary Grant, Ava Gardner, Conrad Hilton, and of course, royals. To date, Grace Kelly’s wedding gown remains one of the most unforgettable. Some dress details: it was designed by Helen Rose of MGM fame; a pearl-encrusted prayer book was part of the dress; two petticoats were made; the veil measured some 90 yards.

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Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall (UK, 2011)

Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter wed rugby player Mike Tindall on July 30, 2011 in Edinburgh, marking it Scotland’s first royal wedding in nearly 20 years. Members of the royal family were in attendance, including Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Kate Middleton and Prince William, and Prince Harry. The bride wore an ivory and satin gown by Stewart Parvin, a veil, tiara, and Jimmy Choos.

Despite having only around 150 guests, Prince Maximilian and his actress bride Franziska had a wedding fit for royalty. Perhaps it was the luxury cars. Or maybe the Bulgari tiara. Or maybe the fact that the wedding took place inside a 12th century fortress.

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Princess Anne and Mark Phillips (UK, 1973)

One year after meeting at the Munich Olympics, where Mark Phillips won gold in equestrian, Princess Anne, a longtime horse lover, wed the Olympian on Nov. 14, 1973. (Fun fact: The date was also the 25th birthday of Anne’s brother, Charles.) The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey and broadcast to millions around the world. Anne's dress was a Tudor-style design, complete with a high collar and medieval-style sleeves. The couple officially divorced in 1992, some four years after announcing their separation. The Princess Royal has been married to Timothy Laurence since December 1992; their wedding was in Scotland.

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Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling (Sweden, 2010)

Victoria, the first-in-line to the Swedish royal throne, wed “country boy” and her former personal trainer Daniel Westling in Stockholm Cathedral on June 19, 2010 in front of some 1,100 guests that included the King and Queen of Jordan, the Crown Prince of Japan, The Prince of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock, and The Earl and Countess of Wessex. Things of note: there was a carriage procession; the bride wore a duchess satin white dress with a five-meter long train and Swedish cameo tiara; the couple celebrated with an 11-tiered wedding cake.

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Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Kendra Spears (Switzerland, 2013)

Seattle-born model Kendra Spears officially became a princess (Princess Salwa, to be exact) on Sept. 1, 2013 when she married Prince Rahim, the eldest son of the Aga Khan. The couple tied the knot in a traditional Muslim ceremony at the Chateau de Bellerive on Lake Geneva in front of family and close friends.

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Prince Félix of Luxembourg and Claire Lademacher (Luxembourg, 2012)

Four days after a civil ceremony held in the bride’s home country of Germany, Prince Félix and Claire Lademacher tied the knot in a religious ceremony in France on Sept. 20, 2012. The bride, a doctorate student and bioethics researcher, wore a silk Elie Saab gown with a 10-foot long train and Chantilly lace. The couple have been living in the south of France at a winery owned by the bride’s family since the wedding and have two children together.

After meeting at a high school reunion and staying in communication while both working in the U.S., HRH Princess Hayu, daughter of the Sultan of the Yogyakarta Sultanate in Indonesia, wed her United Nations worker beau in October 2013 in an elaborate three-day event that combined Islamic traditions with Hindu-influenced Javanese culture. As reported by The Telegraph, some 1,500 dignitaries were in attendance.

On July 8, 2016, actress and model Cleopatra von Adelsheim von Ernest became instant royalty when she married Prince Franz, the only son and eldest child of Albrecht, 11th Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Spielberg. According to Vogue, the bride’s wedding dress was a custom-made organza gown with embroidered flowers designed by Luisa Beccaria, who added a seven-meter summer cape that was removable for the reception. Of course, being a royal wedding, the bride also wore a diamond tiara. Fun fact: Beatrice Borromeo (slide 6), served as a bridesmaid.

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Prince Nikolaos and Tatiana Blatnik (Greece, 2010)

Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, the third child of Constantine II, wed longtime love Tatiana Blatnik, an event planner for Diane von Furstenberg, on Aug. 25, 2010 in Spetses, Greece. You know the drill by now: this royal wedding included a horse drawn carriage, a long train, royals from around the world, and of course, a tiara.

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Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy and Prince Guillaume (Luxembourg, 2012)

Stepping out in a gorgeous Elie Saab gown (complete with a 13-foot train), Countess Stéphanie married the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg in a religious ceremony on Oct. 20, 2012 (one day after their civil ceremony). The Countess, who became Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg on her wedding day, also wore a tiara passed down from her side of the family.

Prince Amedeo of the House of Austria-Este, wed Elisabetta, an Italian journalist, on July 5, 2014 at the Basilica Santa Maria in Rome, surrounded by guests including the Royal Family of Belgium, Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg, and Princess Beatrice of York. The bride walked down the aisle in a gorgeous ivory Valentino gown with her father, Ettore Rosboch von Wolkenstein, a film producer.

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Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill (Sweden, 2013)

Princess Madeleine, the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf, wed British-born American banker Christopher O’Neill on June 8, 2013 at the Royal Palace chapel in Stockholm. Perhaps the most interesting detail of the wedding, besides the fact that the bride and groom kept their respective names and titles, was that guests enjoyed a cake made of some 700 macarons.

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Princess Diana and Prince Charles (UK, 1981)

Twenty-year-old Diana Spencer wed 32-year-old Charles, Prince of Wales, at St. Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981 in a ceremony that drew some 750 million viewers. How could anyone forget the moment Diana entered the cathedral with her 25-foot train (made of ivory taffeta and antique lace) behind her? Other details of the day: Diana’s dress, designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, included 10,000 pearls; she wore Spencer family heirloom tiara; guests had 27 wedding cakes to choose from; and of course, everyone lost it when Diana and Charles appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

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